Agenda For Change (AfC) Party

A Few Reminders

1) A radical and fundamental reduction in the number of sinecures and top-level government positions is the only viable means by which Zambia can gradually pay off a good portion of the national debt, reduce taxes and interest rates to stimulate the economy and job creation, and provide adequately for the needs of education, public health, agriculture, civil servants, and civil service retirees, among a host of other worthwhile national programs.

2) It would be unrealistic for us to expect our country to attain meaningful socio-economic development in an economic setting where the labor force is largely composed of sickly, illiterate and starving citizens.

3) Heightened and sustained socio-economic development will not come to our country like manna from heaven; it will need to be adequately planned for and diligently pursued. Basically, this will require a passion for radical change, and leadership with both vision and compass.

4) The youth constitute our beloved country’s future; as such, they do not belong on the streets. They need to be in educational and training institutions, where their minds can be stimulated and enriched.

5) If we cannot invest massively in our people’s education and training, socio-economic development will, by and large, be meaningless to most of them because employers will find it necessary to fill high-wage and technical jobs with foreigners—leaving our people to seek menial and low-wage jobs.

6) There is a need to reserve at least 30% of Cabinet-level portfolios for women, and to ensure that the 8 parliamentary nominations accorded to an incumbent Republican president (in Article 68[1] of Zambia’s constitution) include the handicapped and the youth. Moreover, it is of paramount importance to ensure that each of the country’s 9 provinces is well-represented at the ministerial and/or permanent secretary levels.

7) If we are to succeed in meeting the basic needs and expectations of all our people, we need to start engaging some of the most talented sons and daughters of our beloved country—who are either locally based or in the diaspora—in positions of leadership. And we need to start doing so sooner rather than later!

8) The national government’s relevance in matters of commerce and industry, we believe, lies in its ability to nurture the creation of new, innovative businesses, and to create socio-economic conditions that are conducive to the long-term success and survival of such businesses.

9) Sustained peace, stability and national unity are essential elements in our country’s quest for heightened socio-economic development. In this connection, there is a need for each and every Zambian citizen to actively participate in the creation of a society in which cultural, tribal, racial, and religious diversity is appreciated, tolerated and celebrated. After all, we are all one people; we are members of the Zambian family! One Zambia, One Nation! (We commend Comrade Kenneth Kaunda and UNIP for the contribution this slogan has made to the enhancement of national unity in our beloved country.)

10. There is absolutely no reason why we cannot create a socio-economic system that can be emulated by other developing nations worldwide. After all, we are blessed with abundant natural resources, and very peaceful and hard-working citizens!

11. It is important to pay tribute to the pioneers of Zambian politics—including Dr. Kenneth D. Kaunda, the late Simon M. Kapwepwe, and the late Harry M. Nkumbula. Further, it would be unfair not to recognize those who have been at the helm of national leadership since independence—that is, Dr. Kenneth D. Kaunda (Republican President, 1964—91), Dr. Frederick T. J. Chiluba (Republican President, 1991—2002), and Mr. Levy P. Mwanawasa (Republican President, 2002—2011).

12. The UNIP and MMD Eras.—We appreciate the role played by the United National Independence Party (UNIP) in our beloved country’s struggle for independence. The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) should also be commended for spearheading the transition to multi-party democracy and economic liberalization. And now is the time to reap the benefits of our country’s independence, democracy and economic liberalization; together, and through simple, practical and commonsense solutions to the problems facing our country, we can close the door to socio-economic decay and backwardness and open the door to greater opportunities and a higher quality of life for all Zambians—in Central Province, Copperbelt Province, Eastern Province, Luapula Province, Lusaka Province, Northern Province, North-Western Province, Southern Province, and Western Province.

Together, we can steer our beloved country into a new era—an era in which the purpose, the sole purpose, of government is to cater to the needs and aspirations of the people. We are very excited, really excited, about the tremendous opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead for our beloved country; with a new government graced by development artists, we should all look forward to the evolvement of a socio-economic system that will meet the basic needs and expectations of all Zambian families nationwide!